A Sea Of Brown

CHAPTER 11

CHAPTER 11

I knew I should have payed attention when Ali told me how long he was staying there, now everyone is asking and I don't know what to say.

Maama was the first to ask of course.

'When are they coming back?' she asked
'Ehh... I don't know' I answered
'He didn't tell you?'

It's moments like these that make me wish I could make up lies

'He did... Ehh...'

'Maama I'm going over to Dan's' Ahmad burst in, obviously in a hurry.
'Don't stay too late, and don't make me call you back again' but he was already half way to the door.

I was hoping that little distraction would save me and it did because she did ask any further.

***************

Preparations were underway even though I did little or nothing at all. That's one of the great things about having a large number of females in the family, especially when they have had experience in the wedding department.

When just about a month was left to the main event hardly did I ever come home to an empty house. Aunts and cousins were always there huddled up together making one decision or the other on my behalf. Aunt nasreen called out one day as I was heading to my room

'Safiyya! Don't you want to see any of it?'
'I'm coming!' I answered, having no intention what so ever to go back. That was the only solution, really, if I said no I would have received another talk from Maama, so I say what they want to hear and then vanish.

It turned out that Ali was only going to spend three weeks and he was back already, not that I've seen him since, I had to wait for him to be back before I found out how long it was that he actually said.

He sent somethings over for Sum and Ahmad and then that one thing that stopped my breath momentarily.

It was a silver veil and it was so beautiful. It was embroidered in white an silver and the stones added a sort of classy touch to it. When I tried it on it felt really light.

It was to be my wedding veil, obviously. I wondered who it was that actually got it. It could have been his relatives because I could not imagine Ali getting a bridal veil himself besides it was too beautiful to not have been a girl's choice.

Nothing meant for me or the preparation was kept in my room (and I was happy about that), but this one I took up immediately and gladly no one said anything. It took a lot of restrain not to open it every time I walked into my room. I loved it.

One day after another, I kept counting down to the moment. Some days it felt unreal, like it wasn't really going to happen, as if I was just counting down to see what would really happen on that day and that I wasn't really going to be married off. Then some days it dawns on me, weighs my mind and I can't think of nothing else.

It gradually sank in that I would be leaving home for another new home, with another family and then start my own family. Can I even play the role of a Mrs and all that came with it? Was I ready? I kept asking myself.

Two days to the main event I was all nerves. I became clumsy, jittery and on several occasions I had to ask people speaking to me to repeat themselves.

A day to the main event i had to make extra effort to keep still while I was getting my henna done, well more like getting covered in henna. Afterwards I had to sit smack in the middle of the sitting room with outstretched arms while everyone else made fun of me and had their less elaborate henna done. Sum would have none of that, hers had to be almost as good. Aisha was also right next to me. I was extremely glad her mum allowed her to stay with me through the ceremony.